Justbeforeitwasdark,astheypassedagreatislandofSargassoweedthatheavedandswunginthelightseaasthoughtheoceanweremakinglovewithsomethingunderayellowblanket,hissmalllinewastakenbyadolphin.Hesawitfirstwhenitjumpedintheair,truegoldinthelastofthesunandbendingandflappingwildlyintheair.Itjumpedagainandagainintheacrobaticsofitsfearandheworkedhiswaybacktothesternandcrouchingandholdingthebiglinewithhisrighthandandarm,hepulledthedolphininwithhislefthand,steppingonthegainedlineeachtimewithhisbareleftfoot.Whenthefishwasatthestem,plungingandcuttingfromsidetosideindesperation,theoldmanleanedoverthesternandliftedtheburnishedgoldfishwithitspurplespotsoverthestem.Itsjawswereworkingconvulsivelyinquickbitesagainstthehookanditpoundedthebottomoftheskiffwithitslongflatbody,itstailanditsheaduntilheclubbeditacrosstheshininggoldenheaduntilitshiveredandwasstill.
Theoldmanunhookedthefish,re-baitedthelinewithanothersardineandtosseditover.Thenheworkedhiswayslowlybacktothebow.Hewashedhislefthandandwipeditonhistrousers.Thenheshiftedtheheavylinefromhisrighthandtohisleftandwashedhisrighthandintheseawhilehewatchedthesungointotheoceanandtheslantofthebigcord.
「Hehasn』tchangedatall,」hesaid.Butwatchingthemovementofthewateragainsthishandhenotedthatitwasperceptiblyslower.
「I』lllashthetwooarstogetheracrossthesternandthatwillslowhiminthenight,」hesaid.
「He』sgoodforthenightandsoamI.」
Itwouldbebettertogutthedolphinalittlelatertosavethebloodinthemeat,hethought.Icandothatalittlelaterandlashtheoarstomakeadragatthesametime.Ihadbetterkeepthefishquietnowandnotdisturbhimtoomuchatsunset.Thesettingofthesunisadifficulttimeforallfish.Helethishanddryintheairthengraspedthelinewithitandeasedhimselfasmuchashecouldandallowedhimselftobepulledforwardagainstthewoodsothattheboattookthestrainasmuch,ormore,thanhedid.
I』mlearninghowtodoit,hethought.Thispartofitanyway.Thentoo,rememberhehasn』teatensincehetookthebaitandheishugeandneedsmuchfood.Ihaveeatenthewholebonito.TomorrowIwilleatthedolphin.Hecalleditdorado.PerhapsIshouldeatsomeofitwhenIcleanit.Itwillbehardertoeatthanthebonito.But,then,nothingiseasy.
「Howdoyoufeel,fish?」heaskedaloud.「IfeelgoodandmylefthandisbetterandIhavefoodforanightandaday.Pulltheboat,fish.」
Hedidnottrulyfeelgoodbecausethepainfromthecordacrosshisbackhadalmostpassedpainandgoneintoadullnessthathemistrusted.ButIhavehadworsethingsthanthat,hethought.Myhandisonlycutalittleandthecrampisgonefromtheother.Mylegsareallright.AlsonowIhavegainedonhiminthequestionofsustenance.
ItwasdarknowasitbecomesdarkquicklyafterthesunsetsinSeptember.Helayagainstthewornwoodofthebowandrestedallthathecould.Thefirststarswereout.HedidnotknowthenameofRigelbuthesawitandknewsoontheywouldallbeoutandhewouldhaveallhisdistantfriends.
「Thefishismyfriendtoo,」hesaidaloud.「Ihaveneverseenorheardofsuchafish.ButImustkillhim.Iamgladwedonothavetotrytokillthestars.」
Imagineifeachdayamanmusttrytokillthemoon,hethought.Themoonrunsaway.Butimagineifamaneachdayshouldhavetotrytokillthesun?Wewerebornlucky,hethought.
Thenhewassorryforthegreatfishthathadnothingtoeatandhisdeterminationtokillhimneverrelaxedinhissorrowforhim.Howmanypeoplewillhefeed,hethought.Butaretheyworthytoeathim?No,ofcoursenot.Thereisnooneworthyofeatinghimfromthemannerofhisbehaviourandhisgreatdignity.
Idonotunderstandthesethings,hethought.Butitisgoodthatwedonothavetotrytokillthesunorthemoonorthestars.Itisenoughtoliveontheseaandkillourtruebrothers.
Now,hethought,Imustthinkaboutthedrag.Ithasitsperilsanditsmerits.ImaylosesomuchlinethatIwilllosehim,ifhemakeshiseffortandthedragmadebytheoarsisinplaceandtheboatlosesallherlightness.Herlightnessprolongsbothoursufferingbutitismysafetysincehehasgreatspeedthathehasneveryetemployed.NomatterwhatpassesImustgutthedolphinsohedoesnotspoilandeatsomeofhimtobestrong.
NowIwillrestanhourmoreandfeelthatheissolidandsteadybeforeImovebacktothesterntodotheworkandmakethedecision.InthemeantimeIcanseehowheactsandifheshowsanychanges.Theoarsareagoodtrick;Butithasreachedthetimetoplayforsafety.HeismuchfishstillandIsawthatthehookwasinthecornerofhismouthandhehaskepthismouthtightshut.Thepunishmentofthehookisnothing.Thepunishmentofhunger,andthatheisagainstsomethingthathedoesnotcomprehend,iseverything.Restnow,oldman,andlethimworkuntilyournextdutycomes.
Herestedforwhathebelievedtobetwohours.Themoondidnotrisenowuntillateandhehadnowayofjudgingthetime.Norwashereallyrestingexceptcomparatively.Hewasstillbearingthepullofthefishacrosshisshouldersbutheplacedhislefthandonthegunwaleofthebowandconfidedmoreandmoreoftheresistancetothefishtotheskiffitself.
HowsimpleitwouldbeifIcouldmakethelinefast,hethought.Butwithonesmalllurchhecouldbreakit.Imustcushionthepullofthelinewithmybodyandatalltimesbereadytogivelinewithbothhands.
「Butyouhavenotsleptyet,oldman,」hesaidaloud.「Itishalfadayandanightandnowanotherdayandyouhavenotslept.Youmustdeviseawaysothatyousleepalittleifheisquietandsteady.Ifyoudonotsleepyoumightbecomeunclearinthehead.」